Wishes
by eojt
Summary: After talking with Willow after their break-up, Tara needs comforting.


TITLE: Wishes  
  
AUTHOR: Joe T  
  
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss Whendon, Mutant Enemy, WB, others, and just about everyone but me.  
  
SUMMARY: Having talked with Willow after their break-up, Tara goes for comfort.  
  
SPOILERS: As always, everything is fair game  
  
RATING: PG-13, nothing more than a kiss or too, one bad word.  
  
The Magic Box  
  
Although she had managed to get through the research session without giving away anything of how she was truly feeling, as she helped Xander and Anya clean up, Tara couldn't help but begin crying at what had just happened.  
  
Noticing the tears streaming down her face, Xander quickly goes to her side.  
  
"I'm sorry. I just."  
  
"Shh. It's alright." Xander consoles Tara as she cries into his shoulder, soon she felt Anya's hand gently patting her shoulder, "What happened? Is she Ok?" Anya asks.  
  
Several minutes later, "She.She said the meanest things, about me, about what I thought she and I had." Looking up for an instant, Tara is afraid of what she'll see in Xander's eyes, she knows he and Willow have been friends since childhood. She nearly breaks into tears again when she sees only comfort and understanding.  
  
"She said she only wanted to learn the magic I know, and now that she knew it, she didn't need me anymore. She said it would've been better if I'd gone with my family." Tara chokes out, before crying again.  
  
After a few seconds she looks up again, as Anya leads her and Xander over to the table so they can sit, "I just wish I could find someone who wanted to be with me just."  
  
"For being with me." Xander finishes. "I wished for the same thing, once." He states, looking over at his fiancé. Tara freezes as she feels the arm around her shoulder tighten, Xander breath audibly catching in his throat. She sees just a glimpse of Anya as Xander pushes her behind him, standing between them, as a reddish, scaly, thick veined image of Anya speaks, "I grant both of your wishes."  
  
"Anyaka."  
  
"I'm sorry you had to find out like this, Xander. But you would have one day, better sooner than later."  
  
"Your not going to turn us into vampires are you? Willow told me about."  
  
"I was at the register that day, Tara. Willow bragged to you about it." Anyaka interrupts. In a mocking of Willow's voice, she continues, "The Master was the most powerful vampire ever, we were his favorites, we were his most dangerous servants, blah, blah, blah. And no, I won't do anything that hurts either of you. I'm not going to have to do very much to grant your wishes." Looking sadly at Xander, "The most difficult part will be leaving."  
  
And with a slight gesture, flashing lights surround her, and she disappears.  
  
For nearly two full minutes, they both stand there. Finally Tara whispers, "I'm so sorry Xander."  
  
Calmly, as if discussing the weather, he answers, "For what Tara? You didn't do anything."  
  
"If I hadn't broken down crying here."  
  
"I would have found out eventually. She knew that."  
  
"But.she was your."  
  
"She wasn't my fiancé. I asked Anya to marry me, not Anyaka."  
  
"I'm still sorry."  
  
A small flash of his smile can just barely be seen before it disappears, "You don't have anything to be sorry about, now lets get to our homes before we have to get invited in."  
  
As they walk to the door, a pair of eyes watches them from the second floor. Tara hugs Xander as they near the door, giving the same comfort he gave her. As Xander hugs her back, the figure on the second floor whispers too quietly for them to hear, "Right about.now." And makes a small series of movements with her fingers, a streak of nearly invisible light passes unseen from her to Xander and Tara.  
  
Looking down at Tara, Xander suddenly says, "I'd better walk you home, it can get a little dangerous at night."  
  
Smiling slightly, looking down at her feet, Tara responds, "How will you get home then?"  
  
"We'll figure something out."  
  
And as Xander goes to give her a kiss on her forehead, she looks up at that exact moment, their lips touch for just an instant.  
  
And then they kiss again, only for another instant, only this time it is not by accident.  
  
"Come on, I'd better get you home." Xander says as they walk out the door, her arm hugging his waist, his around her shoulders.  
  
"I told them it wouldn't take much." Anyaka says to herself on the second floor as she begins rummaging through several shelves. "I also said I wouldn't hurt them, didn't say anything about Willow. Cost me who knows how many nights of sex, that little magic-addicted bitch. Where'd I leave that scroll for binding powers?" 


End file.
